“I want to see Ansel,” Bryn said suddenly. “Can we make sure he’s okay?”

“He’s fine,” Connor said. “The move went perfectly. If we’re here, he’s here. It’s an all-or-nothing kind of deal.”

“But—”

“Look, kid,” Connor said. “We need to let Anika cool off before we start asking her favors. Calla’s little brother messed up big time. It’s going to take a while before we can sort that out.”

He and Adne exchanged a glance that made my teeth clench. Neither of them thought Ansel’s predicament could be sorted out.

What is going to happen to my brother?

Bryn’s shoulders slumped. Mason took her hand, looking at me.

“He’ll be okay.”

I nodded, feeling less certain of that possibility by the minute.

“We’ll get you something to eat,” Adne said, frowning. “And then find you a place to stay. I’m sure you’d like to get cleaned up.”

I traced her assessing gaze at Bryn and Mason. They did need cleaning up. Still wearing the wreckage of clothing from the night they’d been made prisoners, dried blood and grime caked their skin. A sharp pain gripped my stomach like I’d been sucker punched, their ragged appearance reminding me again of all they’d been through.

I kept silent as we fell in step behind Connor and Adne, who led us to the stairs. When we reached the first-floor landing, Adne gasped.

“Look!” I followed the line from where her finger was pointing. Mason and Bryn gasped too.

We’d paused just outside the glass doors leading into the courtyard. Beyond the invisible barrier, the broad central space was transforming before my eyes. The empty, slumbering earth had come alive with unfurling leaves and splashes of bright color from budding flowers. Fountains among the flower beds bubbled with water.

Connor whistled. “Man, the Links work fast. Nice.”

“They always do,” Adne replied. “But it always amazes me.”

“What are the Links?” Mason asked, his brow knit like a vine curled around the marble staircase on the other side of the glass doors.

“One of the Academy specializations,” Connor said. “Eydis and Haldis, mostly. They integrate the building into the local ecosystem.”

“Like gardeners?” Bryn asked.

“Some of them do focus on the gardens,” Connor replied, rubbing his belly. “Which is good news. Mediterranean climate means we’ll be eating better fresh food. Too many root vegetables back where it’s winter. What do you think? Olives and lemons are the specialty in this region, right? I thought I read that in the memo about this destination. But that was supposed to happen in the spring. Looks like stuff grows well enough now too.”

“Wait a sec,” Masoninterrupted. “How is that possible? Those plants are growing at warp speed.”

“Elemental magic,” Adne said. “Eydis and Haldis—water and earth. The Links connect to the earth, the roots of plant life, and the natural aquifers. It’s how we get our water supply and geothermal energy.”

“Good to see they’re working,” Connor said. “I know they weren’t as far along as is ideal for the relocation.”

Mason was shaking his head, and I noticed his hands were shaking too. “That’s just not possible. Who can do that?”

“We can,” Connor said, turning away from the courtyard. “And as far as possible goes, who here can turn into a wolf?”

“He has a point,” Shay said, smiling at me. “That’s what got me to believe in all this stuff.”

Mason nodded reluctantly, but he muttered under his breath as we descended to the bottom floor.

“I wish Monroe could have seen that.” Adne sighed. She bowed her head and I heard a quiet sob.

“Just get through the assembly.” Connor put his arm around her shoulders. “Then we’ll have time to talk about your dad.”

Unlike the near empty dining hall I’d entered the previous night, the Searchers’ meeting space was now filled to capacity. Men and women milled around, shoulder to shoulder, the buzz of conversation swelling in my ears like a low roar.

“There’s Tess.” Connor moved into the crowd.

“Who’s Tess?” Bryn leaned into me.

“She’s part of their team,” I said. “The Haldis team.”

Bryn frowned. “The Haldis team?”

“I don’t—” Words stuck to my tongue. Haldis, Eydis. The snippets of information I’d gleaned from my brief stay with the Searchers hadn’t prepared me to answer her question. There was so much I didn’t know yet about the Searchers, and now I’d thrown my pack, or what was left of it, into their world without any certainty of the future. What if I’d made the wrong decision? The buzz of voices was getting louder. My head started to throb.

When I didn’t speak again, Bryn shrugged, turning to follow Mason to the table where Tess was sitting.

“Calla?” Shay was watching me.

“Go ahead,” I said, pushing him after Bryn. “I’m right behind you.”

As he threaded his way between Searchers, I slowly backed toward the hall and, reaching the stairs, I bolted.

I wasn’t sure where I was running, but I knew that I needed to run. A week ago I’d been in Vail about to merge my life with Ren’s, to take the first step on the path that had been set for me my whole life. My destiny. Did I even have a destiny anymore? Did it belong to the Searchers now?